1. Manage Expectations

Communicate well with your clients and try to make them better understand the work you do. If some major system changes are likely to result in teething problems or inconsistencies, tell your customers in advance. By managing expectations you can make people more understanding and patient, reducing the pressure on you.

2. Use Resilience Features

When you design client systems, try to build in resilience features such as hot-swappable drives, redundant power supplies, and image backups. Anything you can do that makes systems easier to fix when they go wrong will reduce the number of nasty days you experience. It’s worth persuading clients to spend the extra money.

3. Get Away

People working in the network consulting field often allow themselves to overwork. It is essential to get downtime, even when you run your own business. You should aim to get at least as much uninterrupted holiday each year as you would if you worked for an employer.